Superstore, Extra Foods Workers Ratify New Deal

Superstore and Extra Food workers in Manitoba have ratified a new five-year deal with their employer, effectively avoiding a strike.

Loblaw employees voted 91.4% in favour Sunday on a tentative agreement that was reached on September 26. The vote by UFCW Local 832 members was held until UFCW locals in Alberta and Saskatchewan had reached a deal with Loblaw in those provinces.

The new deal will offer members a 13 percent wage increase over the five years, increased full-time jobs and also more guaranteed hours for the workers.

“We listened to our members at proposal meetings, in surveys and in the store. They wanted wage increases, more guaranteed hours, pension security, increase in benefits, buyouts and protection from store conversions,” said UFCW Local 832 president Jeff Traeger.

The new deal will take effect starting today, and members will receive retroactive pay for the wage increases going back to September 28 when their previous contract expired.